Minors: Employee No. 8 clocks out

Following his latest stint with the NBA D-League’s Idaho Stampede, Antoine Walker (6-9, F) has announced his retirement from basketball. Walker told his Idaho teammates at the conclusion of their D-League finale against the Bakersfield Jam on Saturday night.
A three-time NBA All-Star, Walker’s 12-year NBA career included stints with the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves. Boston made Walker the sixth overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft.

ROCKETS SIGN SIMPSON: The Houston Rockets went Down Under to sign their latest player. Houston recently signed forward Diamon Simpson for the remainder of the season. Simpson has been playing for the Adelaide 36ers of Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL). He averaged 14.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 27 games for the 36ers. Simpson registered 12 double-doubles for the NBL team.
An NBA D-League veteran, Simpson averaged 15.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.4 blocks for the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the 2009-10 season.

ARMOR WELCOME BACK HORNER, RELEASE SPATES: There’s been plenty of movement in Springfield. Earlier in the week, the Springfield Armor reacquired Dennis Horner (6-9, F). To make room for Horner on the roster, Springfield waived Eugene Spates (6-8, F).
Horner recently completed his second Call-up for the New Jersey Nets. In eight games for Nets, Horner scored five points and grabbed five rebounds in 22 minutes. In 25 games with Springfield this season, Horner averaged 17.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists in 31.4 minutes.

WRIGHT RE-ASSIGNED TO D-LEAGUE: Rookie forward Chris Wright (6-8) has returned to the Dakota Wizards following a reassignment from the Golden State Warriors. Wright drew the season’s 65th assignment for an NBA player.
In two previous assignments, Wright averaged 18.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 29.0 minutes for the Wizards.
Wright averaged 18.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 29.0 minutes in his two previous stints with the Warriors.

JORDAN REJOINS BAYHAWKS – The New York Knicks have re-assigned center Jerome Jordan to the Erie BayHawks. The assignment was the 64th move from an NBA franchise to a D-League team this season,Jordan was averaging 1.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 4.8 minutes in 19 games for the Knicks this season.

MILLSAP NAMED D-LEAGUE PERFORMER OF THE WEEK: Los Angeles D-Fenders guard Elijah Millsap (6-6, G) was named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played April 2-7.
Millsap averaged 22.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists as he led Los Angeles to a 3-0 record during the week. He shot 42 percent from the field and 56 percent from three-point range in the three-game stretch.